COLLEGE PARK — COLLEGE PARK -- D.J. Strawberry led Maryland in scoring last night. Coach Gary Williams led it in sarcasm.
Asked if he's discouraged because the Terrapins struggled to put away two teams in exhibition games, including Carleton last night, Williams responded: "Let's see, it's Nov. 4. ... Yeah, I quit."
Hampton@Maryland Season opener, Tuesday, 8:30 p.m., ESPNU, 1300 AM, 105.7 FM
The Terps open the regular season at home Tuesday against Hampton in the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic, beginning what they hope is a march toward their first NCAA tournament appearance in three years.
Last night's game meant nothing and it meant everything, at least to a team coming off a one-point victory at home against Division II California (Pa.) three nights earlier. The Terps needed to make a statement.
They settled for, "We're bound to get better."
"I think we'll be able to score points as we go through the season," Williams said. "The big thing will be stopping the other team. When we get that, I think we can be a pretty good team. But it's going to start on the defensive end of the court."
Carleton has won the past four Canadian Interuniversity Sports men's basketball titles and took American University to overtime on Thursday before losing, 66-64.
The Ravens weren't going to be an easy mark. Not with their ability to shoot from long range. And not with Maryland committing 13 turnovers in the first half and 23 overall.
If this game had been part of the regular schedule, Maryland would have gone with four guards at times to match up with Carleton, which was outscored 30-12 in the paint but had a knack for kicking the ball outside for an open shot. But Williams needed to give his big men sufficient minutes.
"When a 6-9 guy's trying to guard a 6-foot guy, it's pretty hard to keep him from penetrating," Williams said.
Vasquez, who missed Wednesday's game with a sprained ankle, made his debut with 16:10 remaining in the first half. His first points came on a layup after a steal from Strawberry, and his first assist came when he spotted another prized freshman guard, Eric Hayes, for a three-pointer.
Before he was finished, Vasquez fed Ibekwe for a dunk off a Carleton turnover, made two free throws, dished to James Gist for an open jumper, nailed a three-pointer and sank two more free throws that provided a 70-58 lead with 6:44 left.
He also didn't lack for confidence, gathering his teammates for a quick pep talk after entering the game and striking a pose after his three-pointer.
"He's going to bring a lot of emotion to the team, which is good," Williams said. "He's going to make some mistakes, but he's a quick learner."
The Terps looked ready to run Carleton off the floor early in the game, but the Ravens adjusted to the defensive pressure and took a 32-30 lead. They made six of their first 11 attempts from beyond the arc.
What they couldn't do was contain Strawberry, who was 6-for-8 from the floor in the first half. He made two free throws to tie the game, 32-32, and his jumper gave Maryland another lead.
Mike Jones' two free throws with 1:31 remaining broke the ninth tie of the half and ignited a 6-0 run that provided the halftime margin. Maryland shot 60.9 percent from the floor in the half and 55.1 for the game.
Gist's dunk on a loose ball underneath allowed Maryland to match its biggest lead, 49-39. He had another slam, this one off a lob pass from Bambale Osby, that put the Terps ahead 79-63.
Forward Osvaldo Jeanty led Carleton with 25 points.
roch.kubatko@baltsun.com
CARLETON-Doornekamp 4-11 6-6 17, Bell 1-5 3-4 5, Jean-Marie 2-3 1-2 5, Saunders 0-4 2-2 2, Jeanty 9-20 0-0 25, Turnbull 3-7 2-2 11, McConnery 0-0 0-0 0, Chapman 0-0 0-0 0, Stewart 3-7 2-5 8, McCleery 2-2 0-0 4. Totals 24-59 16-21 77. MARYLAND-Gist 4-6 3-4 11, Ibekwe 6-9 4-7 16, Strawberry 7-13 4-4 20, Hayes 2-3 1-2 7, Jones 3-6 2-2 9, Milbourne 1-2 0-0 3, Vasquez 2-5 4-4 9, Brown 0-1 2-4 2, Bowers 1-2 0-0 2, Neal 0-0 1-2 1, Osby 1-2 4-4 6. Totals 27-49 25-33 86. Half: Maryland, 42-36. 3-point goals: C 13-31 (Jeanty 7-11, Turnbull 3-6, Doornekamp 3-8, Bell 0-3, Saunders 0-3); M 7-12 (Strawberry 2-2, Hayes 2-3, Milbourne 1-2, Vazquez 1-2, Jones 1-3). Rebounds: C 28 (Doornekamp 7); M 36 (Ibekwe, Strawberry 8). Assists: C 14 (Jeanty 3); M 18 (Hayes 7). Total fouls: C 27, M 22. Fouled out: Bell, Saunders, Gist. A: n/a.